A CAFE owner is brewing up plans to help a charity striving to provide clean water for the world’s poorest people.

Stewart Wilson has pledged to raise funds for WaterAid by organising regular coffee mornings in his former cafe premises in Marske.

For the past four years, he has run Masquerade cafe on Marske High Street. But when health problems forced him to consider the future, he decided against selling up.

Instead of putting the cafe on the market, he decided to use the premises to help boost the WaterAid international charity, which helps the world’s poorest people gain access to safe water and sanitation.

Mr Wilson, 65, suffered a severe case of encephalitis 15 years ago, which left him with problems with his vision, balance and hearing.

“I began to realise I wouldn’t be able to continue to tackle running the cafe,” he said.

“My health wasn’t improving, but I decided, rather than sell the premises, I thought about running it to help a charity.”

He now organises coffee mornings in the premises several mornings each week, but hopes with help from more volunteers, the coffee morning hours can be extended.

Mr Wilson said: “I’m looking for more volunteers. The longer we can open and hold the coffee mornings, the more money we can help to make for Water Aid.”

He has already held some coffee mornings with a handful of volunteers, raising £1,800.

The shop currently opens for fundraising coffee mornings from 10am to noon, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, but with more volunteers, hours could be extended. Anyone wanting to help can contact Mr Wilson on 01642 497657.